FIJI: Police question Islands Business magazine trio

FIJI: Police question then release Islands Business magazine trio over court report
http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/pacific-media-watch/fiji-police-question-then-release-islands-business-magazine-trio-over-court-repo

By Solomone Rabulu

SUVA (Fiji Times/Pacific Media Watch): Fiji police questioned Islands Business former publisher Netani Rika, group editor-in-chief Samisoni Pareti and reporter Nanise Volau yesterday.

Rika said that at 10.40am yesterday, he was taken from his Nasese home for questioning over what was believed to be an online article published in relation to the Air Terminal Services (Fiji) Ltd impasse.

He, however, could not disclose any further details.

According to a post by Islands Business on its Facebook page yesterday afternoon, Rika was taken in by three detectives and was interviewed under caution at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters at Suva St.

"The article is understood to involve a Lautoka-based magistrate," Islands Business stated on its post.

Later in the day, IB magazine also revealed that Pareti and Volau were also taken in for questioning.

According to legal sources, they were told the investigation concerned a possible breach of Section 15 of the Public Order Act.

Under Section 15 of the Public Order Act, any person who "maliciously fabricates or knowingly spreads abroad or publishes, whether by writing or by word of mouth or otherwise, any false news or false report tending to create or foster public alarm, public anxiety or disaffection or to result in the detriment of the public" is guilty of an offence.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed that Rika was questioned and later released.

Pareti and Volau were released about 6pm. She said the investigations were still in their early stages and would not comment further.

- Earlier Pacific Media Watch report
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